Summer Love Read Free Page A

been the only negative consequence she’d suffered. Her reflection didn’t reveal the havoc making its way through her body. That would change when she started chemotherapy next month. Her doctor had advised her of the side effects. Nausea. Fatigue. Hair loss.
    What will Sam think of you then?
    The thought made her heart hurt. Why did he have to come back now? What could he possibly tell her that would make up for what he’d done?
    She’d already resigned herself to living the remainder of her days without him. Their eight weeks together had been amazing, the best experience of her life. And her daughter—she couldn’t have asked for a better gift than Sabrina.
    Sam was her great love. She knew she’d never feel for another person the way she felt for him, and she had been okay with that. No matter what happened, she’d experienced real, true love. She’d been given a child. She had a job and family who adored her. Simone had more than most and she was grateful.
    Simone had even learned to accept life without Sam, even told herself that she and Sabrina were better off. Then Sam had to go and screw everything up with an email. Her emotions were in an uproar. If such a things as a good angel and a bad angel could sit on her shoulders, they’d be having a field day.
    Don’t go see him. He’s an asshat. Sure, he acted kind and sweet those eight weeks and yes he’s most definitely hot, but whatever feelings he shared with you were lies.
    The man knows how to treat a woman’s body. Do more than see him, seduce him. It’s been ages, and you need to get laid. 
    Simone closed her eyes, resting her head against the mirror over the sink. 
    “What do you want?” Simone asked herself.
    The last night Sam and she had been together dominated her thoughts. The tender way he’d undressed her. The way his eyes devoured her body. “I’m in love with your lips,” he’d said, kissing her. Then he’d pulled away and blazed a trail with his tongue down her body. “I’m in love with the curve of your hips.” He’d kissed each bone and then her belly button. “I’m in love with you. Every inch.”
    Simone had shuddered with the love on his lips and in his eyes.
    “I’m in love with you, too,” Simone finally admitted. It was the one and only time she’d ever said those words to another soul.
    After they made love he tucked her body against his chest and they’d fallen asleep.
    When she woke, she remembered a tender kiss, and then he was gone. No note. No phone number. Nothing.
    “And now your back. Why?” She spoke aloud even though she knew no one would have the answer, least of all her. Simone scrunched the ends of her curly hair. From the medicine cabinet she took her favorite lotion, Hello by Harvey Prince and applied it. When she finished, she put the lotion back and took out her makeup case, carefully applying some brown eyeliner and mascara, a little blush, and some light pink gloss.
    Then she went into her bedroom. Her sisters told her she should wear a sexy dress and heels to show off her long legs, but there was no way she could walk in heels on the beach, especially not at midnight. It wasn’t practical. Doing so would be stupid. She might break an ankle.
    Instead she dressed sensibly in jeans, a pair of flip-flops, and an oversized sweatshirt. It was always windy at the beach, so she put her hair up. She looked pretty and appeared as though she wasn’t trying too hard—which she wasn’t, of course.
    When she came out of her room, her mom rolled her eyes. “I didn’t think you should wear a dress and heels either, but really? He won’t be able to see your gorgeous figure.”
    Her mom was sitting on the floor next to Sabrina, holding her hands. Her daughter pulled herself up so that she stood on her chubby legs.
    Simone knelt beside her and took her hands. “You gonna walk, baby-girl? You ready.” She scooted back as Sabrina cooed and took a tentative step forward. “That’s it.”
    “Ma ma